Transcript

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)? How does it compare to psychotherapy?

DR. MYRNA WEISSMAN: Well, the two therapies that have the most efficacy data for depression are CBT, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy. Uh, cognitive behavioral therapy has more clinical trials than interpersonal. Um, and that deals with helping the patient to change their-- their thinking about their-- their symptoms and their life. Interpersonal psychotherapy helps the patient to understand the psychosocial triggers that brought on the episode and to help them deal with it. Uh, both of them are structured, time-limited. You don't go, uh-- Psychotherapy is not a career path. You begin and you have a contract as to how long you're gonna continue and what you're gonna achieve. Uh, both of them have a psychoeducational component so that the patient is-- is taught something about what depression is and what they can expect. And, uh, both of them have been shown to be effective.